Hunting the Mutton-Withered Horse?

[xeroxchick]

Anyone have one or do it?
Galloping around tight trails and tight turns might be a challenge if I don’t find just the right fitting saddle, is what I’m thinking.
There have to be some no-withered QHs or Arabs (okay, rare that Arabs are in the hunt field but I have seen them) out there hunting. . .

This horse is a Connemara/WB/? cross.

Any advice from people with experience hunting a wide horse who is very flat would be appreciated!

-XC

p.s Love COTH advice, really I do, but I do know how to Google and can get all the speculation I need. Thanks

[Little_Valkyrie]

Just make sure you have a properly fitting saddle (a U-shaped tree such as the Black Country Quantum-X is the best fit for these horses) and a PROPERLY fitting breastplate (or 2). The hunting breastplate must be tight enough to actually do something, not just flap in the breeze. You can also use a jumper/polo breastplate underneath it (which also must be well-fitted). The combo of all these things should keep you and the tack up there

[JSwan]

A breastplate does wonders.

(I’m coveting a Black Country. drool.)

[HappyHoppingHaffy]

I have a mutton withered guy…

And, although I’ve had two saddle fitters that tell me the saddle fits my horse fine it still slips. I try to cut down on the slipping with one of these: http://www.laurenstacktrunk.com/nufinoslpado.html
I also use a breastplate. But, I do still have some slippage.

I really want a Black Country for hunting. I have the Black Country Equinox for dressage and that puppy doesn’t move. I don’t even use the non-slip pad with that saddle. I just couldn’t afford two BCs and I bought the dressage saddle first.

[PVBZoE]

Hi XC,
my mother and i ride welsh cobs right now and they can be challenging! i know exactly what you are feeling! One of the cobs i ride not only is wide and flat, but has extra skin across her back and has an annoying habit of stepping out sideways with a rear leg. that causes my opposite hip to drop and the whole saddle slides to the side.

my first piece of advice is not to buy a tree less saddle. the best saddles that i have found are a lazer that is has an adjustable tree
http://www.laserequestrian.com/
and a duett
http://www.duettsaddles.com/allpurpose.htm
the saddle fit is important because you don’t want to “pad up” a saddle that is too narrow. but on the haflinger i use a fleece half pad on long hunts, to save his back. or a dressage saddle! on one really back flat cob i use a leather/felt half pad.

second, your saddle needs to be pretty far back on their back to allow their shoulder to swing. the Duett all purpose saddle flaps aren’t too far forward, andthere is still room for your knee.

so that leads to my 3rd peice of advice. leave your stirrups a bit longer. i feel like i’m “perched” up there, without any grip if the saddle starts to roll.

also, very important on a saddle is the length of the billets. if the billets are longer and the girth is short, then the saddle has a better chance of staying in place.

and these girths have been a life saver: http://www.profchoice.com/htmldocs/prd/english/index1.html
if you buy one thing, it should be this girth. i’ve had a few galls by putting it too close to their elbow tho. this girth needs to be cleaned after every use, at least rinsed with water.

i also use a breastcollar for hanging on! and for mounting, i grab some mane and the opposite side of the breastcollar and jump as high as my big rear will go! even though the girth is tight, the saddle will slip when i mount.

as for training, the cobs and haflinger can be quick to turn and stop as you know, so i wear spurs. when they do quick turns or stops, i spur them. they quit doing that after a while and smooth out.

but i’ve never been able to stay on a bucking cob! i always get thrown out of the saddle…but maybe it’s me…it’s probably me…

i hope that helps!!

do share your experiences too, i’m always looking for something to try on the cobs!

[PVBZoE]

HHH, does your horse’s back get too hot with that non-slip pad? i found that some of those bother my horse’s back.

[HappyHoppingHaffy]

[QUOTE=PVBZoE;4657558]
HHH, does your horse’s back get too hot with that non-slip pad? i found that some of those bother my horse’s back.[/QUOTE]

I was worried about using the non-slip pad at first. It seemed like it could bunch and pinch as well as not being very breathable. Honestly, I haven’t had a problem with the pad, but I did use it for shorter sessions before using it hunting for the first time. I have the one that Nunn Finer makes.

-HHH

[xeroxchick]

Boy, thank you for al the advice!! I am purchasing this horse and have not ridden him extensively, so thanks!!!

[SLW]

Triple ditto a neoprene girth, those really help keep the saddle in place. Yes to a properly fitted breastplate. I recommend the one sold by Bartville Harness over in PA.

On my mutton withered QTR mare I use an extra wide gullet Passier AP. At the end of each hunt my saddle is exactly where it was when I mounted a few hours earlier.

[Ponyclubrocks]

Both my hunt horses are round with little to no withers (QH types). What has worked for me is 1) fit of saddle 2) using a girth with elastic at one end only, I don’t know why this should make a difference, but it does 3) I always use a breast plate 4) careful use of pads, I use a shaped pad that has sheepskin only along the top, the rest of it is white quilted cotton. All fleece or all sheepskin is a slipped saddle waiting to happen on my horses (ask me how I know!).

[xeroxchick]

Anyone try a Duett? I think the breastplate with the elastic to the girth and pommel would be the ticket.

[PVBZoE]

i ride a duett, love it. its very comfortable and fits the horses well.

i don’t like a breastplace with elastic anything. since i grab the breastplace for balance, i don’t want it to stretch! but my friend uses one all the time on her welsh cob. so i guess you just need to try it.

[Foxtrot_s]

I hunted my little Standardbred with no withers - used a Passier all purpose + breastplace and a lot of good balance. The Passier is tough enough to withstand the worst conditions you can throw at it.

[breezy28]

neoprene professional choice girth

eco-gold saddle pad

my horse does have withers but i use both to help keep my saddle in place

[Risk-Averse_Rider]

I got to ride PVBZoE’s little Haflinger today - I don’t think I’ve ever been on a horse with no withers before.

I used a breastplate and was very careful to keep myself in the center of the saddle. Fortunately, we had no sharp turns, so it was pretty easy to balance.

[Golden_Pony]

Check out THORNHILL saddles! They are reasonably priced and excellent quality. I ride my Haffie mare in a Berlin model wide tree and think it’s every bit as nice as my old Stubben Seigfried at half the price.

http://www.thornhillusa.com/saddles/multi-purpose_saddles.html

I have also had my hands on (but not ridden in) the Germania and it’s also a lovely saddle that looks it will stick tight. All of their saddles go to extra wide.

[pj1]

[QUOTE=HappyHoppingHaffy;4657548]
And, although I’ve had two saddle fitters that tell me the saddle fits my horse fine it still slips. I try to cut down on the slipping with one of these: http://www.laurenstacktrunk.com/nufinoslpado.html
I also use a breastplate. But, I do still have some slippage.

I.[/QUOTE]

Never ordered from this place but they have these pads for 6.99

http://www.horsetackinternational.com/non-slip-under-pad.html

[runningwalk1984]

I once resorted to using a crupper on a particularly flat backed and mutton withered horse after all else failed, but I wasn’t jumping that horse at the time. I’m not so sure it would be fun to jump in one!

[Fancy_That]

I event and hunter pace w/ my no-wither Morgan

I have a huge, fat-backed, no-withered Morgan that I do lower-level eventing and Hunter Paces with (along w/ trail riding, camping, showing H/J etc)

Anyways - as others have said, saddle fit is key. I use a Bates Caprilli with the Extra Wide Gullet and love it. Even going up and down steep terrain (mountains around here), it stays in place.

Also agree about not using a full-sheepskin pad. My pad is sheepskin only where the pressure zones are on the saddle. The spine is fleece-free. The rest is just normal thin quilted cotton.
http://www.engelsheepskin.com/listman/horsetack/l0004.html

I use the eventing-style elastic breastplate:
http://www.nunnfiner.com/Nunn-Finer-German-Elastic-Breastplate-p/35-36.htm

But I love this 5-Way one and would get it if I could afford it:
http://www.nunnfiner.com/Nunn-Finer-5-Way-Breastplate-p/5w.htm

Lastly - mounting blocks, boulders, and tail gates are your friend! Mounting from the ground is a slipped-saddle waiting to happen, plus it’s harder on thier backs

[wateryglen]

in my experience…

I have a perch/qh who is as round as she is tall. Saddles slide forward in our case as well as side to side. IMHO you have to eliminate all elastic in saddle procurement especially girths. No slip pads really work too. Only using one fleece but synthetic seems slippier to me. Real wool more grippy.
Fairly snug hunting breastplate. And I think a clipped back is slippier too. So don’t do that!
Wide tree not wide enough for my chubbette when she’s outa shape. Her shoulders gets better w/exercise and it all stays in place better.

Oh and ONLY ride uphill…yeah, that works!! :winkgrin::yes: